Thursday 14 March 2024

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 29

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have a good week last week with one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes which saw me drop to sixth place in my predictions league. Normally I would post the table below, but for some strange reason it’s not available at the moment.

My choice of Dominic Solanke as my captain last week paid off, but I had hoped for more from a player with two home games against teams in the relegation zone. Besides him my team was only helped by points from Cole Palmer, Pedro Porro and Pervis Estupinan, but I managed to climb a little in the overall rankings at least.

With only four games this week it’s an ideal time to use my free hit chip and I will definitely be availing of it. The best captaincy options are Son Heung-Min and Ollie Watkins and the chances are I’ll opt for Son. I will probably have three players each from Spurs and Villa added to a sprinkling from Luton, Brentford, West Ham and Fulham.

Saturday March 16

Burnley v Brentford 

3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley led 2-0 away to West Ham last week, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw which kept them off the foot of the table on goal difference. They have only taken two points from their last six home games and they conceded 14 goals in those games with only Sheffield United scoring less and conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only taken three points from their last 10 games and they conceded 26 goals in those games with only Sheffield United scoring less and conceding more goals.

Even with only eight teams playing this week it’s still difficult to see any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers.

Brentford lost 2-1 away to Arsenal last week and they’re now only five points above the bottom three. They have lost eight of their last nine away games and they conceded 19 goals in those games, buy three of their next four games on the road are against teams below them in the table. They have only won two of their last 14 games with only the bottom four conceding more goals.

Yoane Wissa is the in form Brentford player for fantasy managers with Ivan Toney worth considering too.

I think Brentford will get a badly needed win in this game to give them some breathing space at the wrong end of the table.

Prediction: 1-2

Luton Town v Nottingham Forest 

3pm GMT, Kenilworth Road, Luton

Luton drew 1-1 away to Palace and lost 4-3 away to Bournemouth last week which meant they stayed in the bottom three. They have lost their last three home games and they conceded eight goals in those games with only three other teams conceding more goals on their own patch. They have only taken two points from their last seven games and they conceded 21 goals in those games with only the two teams below them conceding more goals and Chelsea are the only team in the bottom half of the table to have scored more goals.

Alfie Doughty and Carlton Morris are still the Luton players most likely to return points for fantasy managers.

Forest lost 1-0 away to Brighton last week and they are only three points ahead of Luton going into this game. They have only taken one point from their last four away games and they conceded nine goals in those games with only three other teams conceding more goals on their travels. They have only taken four points from their last eight games and they conceded 15 goals in those games.

Forest players aren’t exactly setting the world alight for fantasy managers at the moment, but Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi could all possibly do so.

This is a huge game for both teams with the loser ending the day in the relegation zone and I have a feeling the points might be shared.

Prediction: 2-2

Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur 

5.30pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham lost 2-1 away to Wolves last week, but they’re very close to securing their Premier League status for another season with 10 games left to play. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games and they scored nine goals in those games with only the top three conceding less goals on their own ground. They have taken 11 points from their last seven games, but they could struggle to get anything from this game. 

Rodrigo Muniz is the Fulham player doing the business for fantasy managers at the moment.

Spurs won 4-0 away to Villa last week to move within two points of them with a game in hand in the race for fourth place. They have only lost one of their last six away games and they scored 15 goals in those games with only Arsenal scoring more goals on the road. They have taken 26 points from their last 10 games and they scored 30 goals in those games with only the top three scoring more goals.

Son Heung-Min, James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski are all very good options for fantasy managers this week.

I think Spurs will build on their win last week and move temporarily into fourth place by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday March 17

West Ham United v Aston Villa

2pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at home to Burnley last week and they’re still in a strong enough position to qualify for European football for next season. They have taken four points from their last two home games and they scored six goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals on their own patch. They have taken seven points from their last three games after failing to win the previous six and they scored nine goals in those three games.

Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus are the West Ham players most likely to return points for fantasy managers at the moment.

Villa lost 4-0 at home to Spurs last week and they will have dropped out of the top four before this game if Spurs win away to Fulham. They have won their last three away games and they scored 10 goals in those games, but they have two very tough away games after this one. They lost their last game after winning four of the previous five and they scored 15 goals in those games with only the top three scoring more goals.

As long as he’s fit to play Ollie Watkins is the Villa player to have for fantasy managers with Leon Bailey and Douglas Luiz good options too.

This isn’t an easy game to call and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end all square.

Prediction: 2-2

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Friday 8 March 2024

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 28

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did pretty well last week with two perfect predictions, five correct outcomes and three incorrect outcomes which saw me stay in fifth place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

RankPlayerResClsExaSlmPts
1
TeeBee
46115.58727275.5
2
1
Richard Landsberg
451178124267.0
3
-
IAMC0Le
511087822259.0
4
-
robbieg
47115.56924255.5
5
-
JamrockRover
50103.57823254.5

My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain paid off for me last week, but he could and probably should have done better. He was assisted by Caoimhin Kelleher, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Ollie Watkins, but even with seven players scoring I lost a little ground overall for the third week in a row. I really need to reverse that slide if I’m going to finish in a decent position at the end of the season and hopefully I can get back on track this week.

With two games to play this week the players from Bournemouth and Luton are looking like good options for fantasy managers. Dominic Solanke has to be a real consideration for the captain’s armband while Carlton Morris, Alfie Doughty and Ross Barkley could all do well  too. You might also have to keep an eye on next week’s games when picking your team with only four games going ahead and it could be a very good week to use the free hit chip for those who still have it left.

Saturday March 9

Manchester United v Everton

12.30pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United lost 3-1 away to City last week and they now have 11 points to make up on the top four with only 11 games left to go. They have only won two of their last five home games and they have conceded more goals than they have scored on their own ground. They have lost their last two games after winning the previous four and they conceded five goals in those two defeats with no other team in the top half of the table scoring less goals.

If he’s fit to play Rasmus Hojlund is the United player to have for fantasy managers.

Everton lost 3-1 at home to West Ham last week, but they still have five points to spare over the bottom three. They have only taken two points from their last five away games and they only scored two goals in those games with only three other teams scoring less goals on the road. They haven’t won in 10 games, but they drew five of them and only the bottom two have scored less goals.

I’m not sure there are any Everton players doing enough to recommend to fantasy managers.

I think United will keep their faint top four hopes alive with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Bournemouth v Sheffield United 

3pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth won 2-0 away to Burnley last week and they’re an awful lot closer to the top half of the table than they are to the relegation zone. They have only taken one point and scored one goal in their last three home games, but they did play both of the top two in those games and no other team has scored less goals on their own patch. They hadn’t won in seven games before beating Burnley, but they have a very good run of games coming up.

With two good home games this week Dominic Solanke is looking very good for fantasy managers at the moment.

United lost 6-0 at home to Arsenal last week and it’s really just a matter of when their relegation will be confirmed. They have only taken five points from their 13 away games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals on their travels. They have lost their last three games without scoring and they conceded 12 goals in those games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

I can’t see any United players who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Bournemouth should get their week off to a good start by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-0

Crystal Palace v Luton Town 

3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace lost 3-1 away to Spurs last week, but they are still comfortably eight points above the relegation zone. They have won three of their last four home games and they scored 10 goals in those games. They have lost three of their last five games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with only three other teams scoring less goals.

With Eberechi Eze back from injury he’s the Palace player who can perform well for fantasy managers.

Luton lost 3-2 at home to Villa last week and that defeat meant they stayed in the bottom three with four points to make up on the closest team above them. They have only won once in their last eight away games with only Sheffield United conceding more goals on the road. They have lost their last four games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only the two teams below them conceding more goals.

With two games this week Carlton Morris and Alfie Doughty can both do very well for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a close game with Palace probably making home advantage pay to take all the points.

Prediction: 2-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham 

3pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves lost 3-0 away to Newcastle last week, but they managed to hold on to their place in the top half of the table. They won their last home game after losing the previous three and no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals on their own patch. They have taken 19 points from their last 10 games and they could go as high as eighth if they win this game.

Wolves could be without their three best assists for fantasy managers this week with Pedro Neto doubtful and both Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha definitely out.

Fulham won 3-0 at home to Brighton last week and they’re now only three points off the top half of the table. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous 11 with only the bottom two scoring less goals on their travels. They have won three of their last four games and they scored nine goals in those games and they will move above Wolves if they win this game.

Rodrigo Muniz is the Fulham player looking most likely to make a good impression for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a game which could go either way, but the chances are Wolves will win narrowly.

Prediction: 2-1

Arsenal v Brentford 

5.30pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal won 6-0 away to Sheffield United last week and they will go to the top of the table if they win this game with the two teams above them playing each other the next day. They have won their last three home games and they scored 12 goals in those games with only two other teams scoring more goals on their own ground. They have won their last seven games and they scored 31 goals in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals.

Virtually all of Arsenal’s players are in great form for fantasy managers at the moment with Bukayo Saka probably the pick of the bunch.

Brentford drew 2-2 at home to Chelsea last week and that point moved them six points clear of the relegation zone. They have lost seven of their last eight away games and they conceded 17 goals in those games with only four other teams scoring less goals on the road. They have lost 10 of their last 13 games and they conceded 31 goals in those games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Yoane Wissa has been the Brentford player most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Arsenal will continue their impressive run of victories with a couple of goals to spare in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Sunday March 10

Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur 

1pm GMT, Villa Park, London 

Villa won 3-2 away to Luton last week to keep themselves in the top four and five points ahead of Spurs going into this game. They won their last home game after losing the previous two with only Liverpool scoring more goals on their own patch. They have won their last three games and they scored nine goals in those games.

Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey and Douglas Luiz are all in very good form for fantasy managers at the moment.

Spurs came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Palace last week and that win kept them five points behind Villa with a game in hand. They have only won once in their last six away games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only the top three scoring more goals on their travels. They haven’t managed to win two games in a row in their last eight games, but a win in this game would be a massive boost for their top four hopes.

Son Heung-Min and James Maddison are the Spurs players to have at the moment for fantasy managers with Brennan Johnson looking good recently too.

This is a huge game for two teams chasing a top four finish and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them share the spoils.

Prediction: 2-2

Brighton And Hove Albion v Nottingham Forest 

2pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton lost 3-0 away to Fulham last week and they’re now only three points above the bottom half of the table. They’re unbeaten in their last 11 home games, but they drew six of them with no other team drawing more games on their own ground. They have only won three of their last 12 games and no other team has drawn more games.

Pascal Gross is the Brighton player of choice for fantasy managers at the moment.

Forest lost 1-0 at home to Liverpool thanks to an absolutely awful piece of refereeing last week and that result leaves them one place and four points above the relegation zone. They have only taken one point from their last three away games with only the bottom two taking less points on the road. They have only won once in their last seven games and they conceded 14 goals in those games.

Anthony Elanga is the Forest player most likely to return points for fantasy managers with Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi possibilities too.

I think Brighton will bounce back from last week’s poor result with a win in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

West Ham United v Burnley 

2pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham won 3-1 away to Everton last week and they’re now only two points off sixth place. They won their last home game after falling to win the previous three and four of their next six games are on their own patch. They won their last two games after falling to win the previous six and they scored seven goals in those two wins. 

Jarrod Bowen looks like he’s back to his best for fantasy managers with Mohammed Kudus worth considering too.

Burnley lost 2-0 at home to Bournemouth last week and they are surely doomed to relegation despite having 11 games left to play. They have lost their last four away games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last nine games and they conceded 24 goals in those games with only Sheffield United conceding more and scoring less goals.

I can’t see any Burnley players who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I can’t see anything other than a comfortable West Ham victory in this game.

Prediction: 3-0

Liverpool v Manchester City

3.45pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool got a controversial last minute goal to win 1-0 away to Forest last week and that win kept them on top of the table with City just one point behind them. They’re one of two teams still unbeaten at home with no other team taking more points, scoring more or conceding less goals on their own ground. They have won eight of their last nine games and they scored 27 goals in those games with only Arsenal scoring more and conceding less goals.

It looks like Mohamed Salah could be back from injury which makes him the best choice in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers with Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz the best of the other players who aren’t injured.

City came from behind to win 3-1 at home to United last week to leave them one point behind Liverpool going into this game and they will go to the top of the table if they win it. They have won their last five away games and they scored 12 goals in those games with only Arsenal scoring more goals on the road. They have taken 32 points from their last 12 games and they scored 26 goals in those games with only Arsenal and Liverpool scoring more and conceding less goals.

Erling Haaland still has to hit the heights since his return from injury, but along with Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden he’s still a very good option for fantasy managers.

I think this is a game which could go either way, but I have a sneaking suspicion City will manage a narrow victory.

Prediction: 1-2

Monday March 11

Chelsea v Newcastle United 

8pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea drew 2-2 away to Brentford last week, but that point wasn’t enough to take them out of the bottom half of the table. They lost their last home game after winning the previous four  and their next three games are all on their own patch. They have only won once in their last five games, but they could move back into the top half of the table if they win this game.

Cole Palmer remains the only Chelsea player showing enough consistency to interest fantasy managers.

Newcastle won 3-0 at home to Wolves last week to keep in touch with the race for a top six finish. They have only won three of their 13 away games with only Sheffield United conceding more goals on their travels. They have only lost one of their last six games after losing the previous four with only the top four scoring more goals.

Anthony Gordon is the best bet in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers while Alexander Isak has looked good since returning from injury.

I think this will be a very close game with a draw being the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Wednesday March 13

Bournemouth v Luton Town 

7.30pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth play their second home game of the week and they’re both against teams in the bottom three. They can do their home record an awful lot of good this week and five of their remaining home games are against teams below them in the table. If they can take the maximum points from their two games this week they will be very close to the top half of the table and will put any chances of relegation to bed.

As I said previously Dominic Solanke is possibly a very good choice for fantasy managers this week as long as he stays clear of injuries.

Luton play their second game of the week and they could possibly climb out of the bottom three if they win both games. Their away form hasn’t been great, but they have scored in each of their last five games on the road. They have actually scored in each of their last 15 games and it’s only their inability to keep goals out that has them in the bottom three.

Luton players will be in high demand with fantasy managers this week as they have two games even if both of those games are away from home.

I think this will be a close game, but Bournemouth will make it two wins out of two.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Thursday 29 February 2024

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 27

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did reasonably well last week with no perfect predictions, five correct outcomes and three incorrect outcomes which meant I stayed in fifth place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

RankPlayerResClsExaSlmPts
1
-
Richard Landsberg
43109.58123256.5
2
-
TeeBee
431088124256.0
3
-
IAMC0Le
48100.57820246.5
4
-
robbieg
441086922243.0
5
-
JamrockRover
47100.57222241.5

My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain just about paid off last week, but my team lost some ground again for the second week in a row. He’s more than likely going to be my captain again this week, but I am sorely tempted to pick Bukayo Saka who plays away to Sheffield United. Ollie Watkins and Son Heung-Min could be good options too, but it’s always difficult not to choose Haaland.

Besides his points my team was helped by Saka and Phil Foden, but none of my other players did anything to write home about. I’ve got to look closely at my team this week and I might even have to consider using my wild card. If Mohamed Salah is fit to play he has to be a serious consideration while Watkins and Dominic Solanke are good options too.

Saturday March 2

Brentford v Chelsea 

3pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford lost 4-2 away to West Ham last week and they’re starting to drift dangerously close to the relegation zone. They have lost four of their last five home games and they conceded 15 goals in those games with only the bottom two teams conceding more goals on their own ground. They have lost 10 of their last 12 games and they conceded 29 goals in those games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Ivan Toney and Neal Maupay are both capable of doing well for fantasy managers.

Chelsea didn’t play last week as they were busy losing the Carabao Cup Final to Liverpool. They have only taken seven points from their last eight away games, but two of their next three games on the road are against teams struggling at the wrong end of the table. They have only won once in their last four games after winning four of the previous five, but no other team in the bottom half of the table have scored more goals.

Cole Palmer is the Chelsea player who can make a real difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Brentford’s woes will continue with Chelsea narrowly winning this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Everton v West Ham United 

3pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool 

Everton drew 1-1 away to Brighton last week, but they managed to climb up to 15th place after they got back four of the 10 points they were deducted. They have only taken three points from their last four home games with only three other teams scoring less goals on their own patch, but only three other teams conceding less too. They haven’t won in nine games, but they drew five of them with only the bottom two scoring less goals and only the top three conceding less.

With Abdoulaye Dacoure back from injury he’s probably the Everton player most likely to do well for fantasy managers.

West Ham won 4-2 at home to Brentford last week and that win moved them back up to eighth place. They have only won once in their last five away games and they conceded 12 goals in those games. The win against Brentford put an end to a run of six games without a win and they conceded 14 goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Jarrod Bowen showed exactly how good he can be for fantasy managers with his three goals against Brentford and Mohammed Kudus could be worth considering too if West Ham have found some form again.

I think this will be a close game with Everton probably building on their returned points to take the three points and climb further up the table.

Prediction: 1-0

Fulham v Brighton And Hove Albion 

3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham won 2-1 away to United last week to keep themselves comfortably in mid-table. They have taken 16 points from their last eight home games and they scored 19 goals in those games, but they have some tough home games between now and the end of the season. They have only lost one of their last five games after losing four of the previous five.

Rodrigo Muniz has been the Fulham player most likely to do well for fantasy managers recently.

Brighton drew 1-1 at home to Everton last week despite have to play much of the game with 10 men and that point was enough to keep them in seventh place. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous six and they have a pretty good run of away games coming up. They have taken seven points from their last four games after only taking seven points in the previous seven games and West Ham are the only team in the top half of the table to have conceded more goals.

Pascal Gross continues to impress for fantasy managers while Simon Adingra is a possibility too.

This is another game which could go either way and the chances are it will end all square.

Prediction: 1-1

Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

3pm GMT, St. James’ Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle lost 4-1 away to Arsenal last week and that defeat saw them drop to 10th place. They have only taken two points from their last four home games and they conceded 12 goals in those games, but only three other teams have scored more goals on their own ground. They have only won two of their last nine games, but only the top four have scored more goals.

Anthony Gordon is the Newcastle player most likely to return points for fantasy managers.

Wolves won 1-0 at home to Sheffield United last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table. They have taken 10 points and scored 10 goals in their last four away games and they included victories at Spurs and Chelsea. They have taken 19 points and scored 19 goals in their last nine games and they’re starting to be considered for finishing high enough to qualify for European football for next season.

Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-Chan are the Wolves players looking good for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think we could see a few goals in this game and Newcastle should just about get the better of Wolves.

Prediction: 3-2

Nottingham Forest v Liverpool 

3pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest lost 4-2 away to Villa last week and they’re now only one place above the bottom three. They have won two of their last four home games after losing the previous four. They have only taken four points from their last six games and they conceded 13 goals in those games with only the three teams below them conceding more goals.

Anthony Elanga and Taiwo Awoniyi are the best of the Forest players for fantasy managers with Morgan Gibbs-White a good choice too.

Liverpool didn’t play last week as they were busy beating Chelsea to win the Carabao Cup final, but they held on to their place at the top of the table. They have won five of their last six away games and they scored 15 goals in those games with only Arsenal and City scoring more goals on the road. They have won seven of their last eight games and they scored 26 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

If he’s fit to play Mohamed Salah is the Liverpool player to have for fantasy managers, but it’s hard to know who else to pick with all of their injuries.

Despite their injury problems I think Liverpool will win this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 1-3

Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace 

3pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs didn’t play last week and they’re now five points off the top four, but they do have a game in hand. They lost their last home game after winning the previous five and they scored 16 goals in those six games. They have taken 20 points from their last 10 games and they scored 23 goals in those games.

Son Heung-Min and Richarlison are the best bets in the Spurs team for fantasy managers while James Maddison can do well for them too.

Palace won 3-0 at home to Burnley last week and that win gave them an eight point gap over the relegation zone. They haven’t won in seven away games and they conceded 17 goals in those games with only the bottom two conceding more goals on their travels. They have taken 10 points from their last seven games, but they conceded 16 goals in those games and only three other teams have scored less goals.

With their best players injured it’s not easy to see any Palace players who can make a difference for fantasy managers.

I think Spurs will continue their pursuit of a top four finish by winning this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 3-1

Luton Town v Aston Villa 

5.30pm GMT, Kenilworth Road, Luton 

Luton didn’t play last week which meant they stayed in the bottom three and they now find themselves four points adrift of safety. They have lost five of their last seven home games and they conceded 14 goals in those games, but they scored 13 goals. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded 13 goals in those games with only the two teams below them conceding more goals.

Carlton Morris is in good form for fantasy managers while Elijah Adebayo could be worth considering too if he’s fit to play.

Villa won 4-2 at home to Forest last week and that win strengthened their grip on fourth place. They have won their last two away games and they scored seven goals in those games, but they have some very tough away games coming up. They have won three of their last four games and they scored 12 goals in those games with only the three teams above them scoring more goals.

Ollie Watkins is almost a must have for fantasy managers at the moment with Leon Bailey and Douglas Luiz very good options too.

I think Villa will be strong enough to win this game and continue their quest for Champions League football.

Prediction: 1-3

Sunday March 3

Burnley v Bournemouth 

1pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley lost 3-0 away to Palace last week and they’re still only off the foot of the table on goal difference with games running out quickly. They have only taken two points from their last five home games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch and only Sheffield United conceding more. They have only taken two points from their last eight games and they conceded 22 goals in those games with only Sheffield United scoring less and conceding more goals.

I can’t see any Burnley players doing enough consistently to recommend to fantasy managers.

Bournemouth lost 1-0 at home to City last week, but they’re still eight points clear of the bottom three. They have only taken two points from their last four away games and they conceded nine goals in those games with only Sheffield United conceding more goals on the road. They haven’t won in seven games after winning six of the previous seven with only four other teams scoring less goals.

Dominic Solanke is the stand out Bournemouth player for fantasy managers and they play twice next week.

I think Bournemouth will pile more woe on Burnley by taking all three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Manchester City v Manchester United 

3.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City won 1-0 away to Bournemouth last week and they’re only one point behind Liverpool at the top of the table. They are one of two teams still unbeaten at home with no other team conceding less goals on their own ground. They have taken 29 points from their last 11 games with only Arsenal and Liverpool scoring more and conceding less goals.

Erling Haaland is the City player to have for fantasy managers particularly after his five cup goals in midweek while it’s impossible to ignore Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden too.

United lost 2-1 at home to Fulham last week and that defeat put a huge dent in their hopes of a top four finish. They have won their last three away games and they scored eight goals in those games with only the top three taking more points on their travels. They lost their last game after winning the previous four and they scored 12 goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

If he’s fit to play Rasmus Hojlund is the United player most likely to impress for fantasy managers at the moment.

I can’t see anything other than a City victory in this game and it could be by a lot more than I have predicted.

Prediction: 3-1

Monday March 4

Sheffield United v Arsenal 

8pm GMT, Bramall Lane, Sheffield 

United lost 1-0 away to Wolves last week to leave them rooted to the foot of the table and I can’t see any way they can avoid relegation at this stage. They have only taken one point from their last four home games and they conceded 15 goals in those games with no other team conceding more or scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last 10 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

I can’t see any United players who can perform regularly enough to interest fantasy managers.

Arsenal won 4-1 at home to Newcastle last week to move within two points of Liverpool at the top of the table. They have won their last three away games and they scored 13 goals in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on road. They have won their last six games and they scored 25 goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

Bukayo Saka is the must have Arsenal player for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper good choices too.

I can’t see anything other than a comfortable Arsenal win in this game.

Prediction: 0-3

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.


Thursday 22 February 2024

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 26

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a good week last week with three perfect predictions, five correct outcomes and four incorrect outcomes which saw me move back up to fifth place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

RankPlayerResClsExaSlmPts
1
-
Richard Landsberg
40106.58122249.5
2
-
TeeBee
401057823246.0
3
1
IAMC0Le
42100.57819239.5
4
1
robbieg
421056922238.0
5
1
JamrockRover
 
45967221234.0

My choice of Erling Haaland as my fantasy captain sort of paid off last week, but I hoped for a lot more from him with two home games in the same week. His points were added to by William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, Diogo Jota and Ivan Toney, but it wasn’t enough to stop me losing a little bit of the ground I have made up recently. Haaland has to be the best captaincy choice again this week with Saka, Pedro Neto, Ollie Watkins and Rasmus Hojlund all worth considering too.

With four teams not playing this week I might have to make a couple of changes to make sure my team is strong enough to try to make up for my losses last week. The players I mentioned above as captaincy options are all very good options to bring in, but it’s not so easy to find good defenders at the moment. I will definitely have to get rid of Diogo Jota after he picked up an injury and I will probably bring in Pascal Gross or Simon Adringra of Brighton.

Saturday February 24

Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest

3pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa won 2-1 away to Fulham last week and that win moved them back into the top four. They have lost their last two home games and they conceded five goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals on their own ground. They have won two of their last three games and their next two games are against teams who have conceded a lot of goals so far.

Ollie Watkins, Douglas Luiz and Leon Bailey are the Villa players who can do well for fantasy managers in the next couple of weeks.

Forest won 2-0 at home to West Ham last week and that win moved them four points clear of the bottom three. They have taken four points from their last three away games after only taking two in the previous six, but they could struggle to get anything from this game. The win against West Ham was their first win in five games and it was badly needed with the run of games they have coming up.

Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga are the Forest players most likely to impress for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Villa will strengthen their place in the top four by winning this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-1

Brighton And Hove Albion v Everton

3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton won 5-0 away to 10 man Sheffield United last week and they moved back up to seventh place. They are unbeaten in 10 games at home and they scored 21 goals in those games with no other team drawing more games on their own patch. They have won two of their last three games after only winning once in the previous seven with no other team drawing more games.

Pascal Gross is the in form Brighton player for fantasy managers with Simon Adingra worth considering too.

Everton drew 1-1 at home to Palace last week and that point was enough to get them out of the relegation zone on goal difference. They have only taken one point from their last four away games and they failed to score in the last three, but they have won as many games as they have lost on their travels. They haven’t won in eight games, but they drew four of them with only the bottom two scoring less goals and only the top three conceding less.

Everton’s defenders and keeper have done well for fantasy managers, but it’s still not easy to pick them.

I think Brighton’s home record suggests they should take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Crystal Palace v Burnley

3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace drew 1-1 away to Everton last week and that point moved them five points clear of the bottom three. They have taken seven points from their last four home games, but they play teams below them in their next two games on their own ground. They have only won two of their last 14 games, but they play four of the teams around them in the table in their next six games.

As long as Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze are injured I can’t see any Palace players to recommend to fantasy managers.

Burnley lost 5-0 at home to Arsenal last week and they’re only off the foot of the table on goal difference. They have lost their last three away games snd they conceded nine goals in those games with only Sheffield United and Fulham scoring less goals on the road. They have only taken two points from their last seven games and they conceded 19 goals in those games with only Sheffield United conceding more and scoring less goals.

With a run of games coming up which they could do well in David Dotra Fofana might be of interest to fantasy managers.

I think Palace will get a badly needed win in this game and push Burnley that bit closer to what looks like their inevitable relegation.

Prediction: 3-1

Manchester United v Fulham

3pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United won 2-1 away to Luton last week and that win moved them within five points of the top four. They have taken seven points and scored eight goals in their last three home games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals on their own patch. They have won their last four games and they scored 11 goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table scoring less goals.

Rasmus Hojlund is the United player to have for fantasy managers at the moment with Diogo Dalot and Andre Onana worth considering too.

Fulham lost 2-1 at home to Villa last week, but they’re still closer to the top half of the table than they are to the relegation zone. They haven’t won in their last 11 away games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals on their travels. They have only won two of their last nine games and they have a tough run of games coming up.

Rodrigo Muniz is the Fulham player most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think United’s run of victories will continue in this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-1

Bournemouth v Manchester City

5.30pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth drew 2-2 away to Newcastle last week and they’re still in a comfortable position in mid table. They have only lost one of their last six home games, but no other team has scored less goals on their own ground. They have only taken three points from their last six games after winning six of their previous seven with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Dominic Solanke is the Bournemouth player who can make a real difference for fantasy managers.

City drew 1-1 at home to Chelsea and won 1-0 at home to Brentford last week to go four points behind Liverpool at the top of the table with a game in hand. They have won their last four away games and they scored 11 goals in those games with only Arsenal scoring more goals on the road. They have taken 26 points from their last 10 games with only Liverpool scoring more goals.

Erling Haaland is a must have for fantasy managers while Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne are looking pretty good at the moment too.

I can’t see anything other than a comfortable City victory in this game.

Prediction: 0-3

Arsenal v Newcastle United

8pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal won 5-0 away to Brighton last week and they’re five points behind Liverpool at the top of the table with a game in hand. They have won their last two home games and they scored eight goals in those games with no other team conceding less goals on their own patch. They have won their last five games and they scored 21 goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

Bukayo Saka is the must have Arsenal player for fantasy managers at the moment with all of their defenders and keeper good choices too.

Newcastle drew 2-2 at home to Brighton last week and they now have 12 points to make up on the top four with only 13 games left to play. They have won their last two away games and they scored six goals in those games, but they lost their previous five. They have taken eight points from their last four games and they scored 12 goals in those games, but they conceded nine. 

Anthony Gordon is the best bet among the Newcastle players for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Arsenal will continue their impressive form with another win in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Sunday February 25

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Sheffield United

1.30pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves won 2-1 away to Spurs last week and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have lost their last two home games after being unbeaten in the previous eight and they conceded six goals in those two defeats. They have taken 16 points from their last eight games and they scored 18 goals in those games.

With Matheus Cunha injured both Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-Chan are looking like very good options for fantasy managers at the moment.

United lost 5-0 at home to Brighton last week after having a man sent off early on and they’re still on the bottom of the table. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous 11 with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last nine games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

I can’t see any United players doing enough consistently to make a difference for fantasy managers.

I think Wolves will be too good for United and will win by at least a couple of goals.

Prediction: 4-1

Monday February 26

West Ham United v Brentford

8pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham lost 2-0 away to Forest last week and they’re now only one point above the bottom half of the table. They have only taken two points and scored one goal in their last three home games with no other team in the top half of the table scoring less goals on their own ground. They have lost their last three games without scoring and they conceded 11 goals in those games with only four other teams conceding more goals.

Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player who can do well for fantasy managers if they can regain their form.

Brentford lost 4-1 at home to Liverpool and 1-0 away to City last week and they’re only five points clear of the bottom three. They have lost six of their last seven away games with only Sheffield United losing more games on the road. They have lost nine of their last 11 games and only four other teams have conceded more goals.

Ivan Toney is the Brentford player most likely to impress for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think this is a game which could go either way which makes a draw the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.